Zone 4 or 5 Full-Sun Evergreen Shrubs

Juniper Shrubs

• The juniper family is a large one and includes many shrubs capable of withstanding winters even colder than those of USDA zones 4 and 5. Among the types coming in evergreen shrub hybrid form suitable for full sun are the common juniper, savin juniper, Chinese juniper, singleseed juniper and creeping juniper. Broadmoor, Buffalo and Skandia are examples of savin juniper hybrids that share a common juniper trait -- they grow in dry sites if necessary. Juniper shrubs work as ground cover accent plants, foundation plants, in mass planting and as deterrents to erosion, depending upon their size.

Spruce Shrubs

• Evergreen spruce shrubs for full-sun jobs within USDA zones 4 and 5 come from many species, but the Colorado spruce and the Norway spruce dominate the list. Both feature dwarf shrub forms for full sun. Formanek, Kelelrman's Blue Cameo and Little Joe are small Norway spruce shrubs fit for duty in rock gardens and along foundations, while the same is true of Colorado spruce types like Montgomery and Glauca Prostrata. These spruce shrubs often have a rounded form; an example is the white spruce cultivar Cecelia, which resembles a flat-topped globe, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Black spruce and oriental spruce are two other types of spruces with shrub forms.

Pine Shrubs

• Pine shrubs have use along foundations, as frames for doorways, in rock gardens and in groups. Those appropriate for planting in full sun in USDA zones 4 and 5 include the Repens, Gold Coin and Glauca Nana -- all Scotch pine hybrids. Hornibrookiana is an Austrian pine hybrid growing to 24 inches, while Paul's Dwarf is a cultivar of the dwarf mountain pine that stays between 2 and 3 feet high. Mugo pine, jack pine and the Swiss stone pine all come in shrub forms that need sun and remain evergreen within these two zones.

Holly Shrubs

• Among the evergreen, full-sun hollies, inkberry and a couple of holly hybrids are useful species in shrub form for these zones. American holly handles the cold of USDA zone 5, but zone 4 is a tad too nippy for it. Among the inkberry shrubs are the parent species itself, which develops to 8 feet tall, as well as Nordic, Compacta and Shamrock -- all from 3 to 4 feet high. Inkberry matures in damp places and the female shrubs produce very dark berries. Holly hybrids such as Blue Prince and Blue Princess grow as tall as 15 feet, making them candidates for hedges or screens in full sun sites.